The 33-year-old was returning to her car on the second floor at about 5.10pm when she was approached by a man on the fire exit stairwell who grabbed her handbag.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: “The woman was unhurt but shaken up by the incident. The man is described as a white male, aged 35 years old, around 5ft 10in inches tall and wearing a tracksuit.”

She added: “Police are keen to hear from two women who were in the same stairwell around the second floor prior to the incident.

Police are also keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and who may have seen a man hanging around prior to the incident.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Middlesbrough Integrated Response Team on the non-emergency number 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800-555111.